Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro declared his support for Kamala Harris and her new running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz after the decision was announced Tuesday morning.

“Vice President Kamala Harris has my enthusiastic support — and I know that Governor Tim Walz is an extremely strong addition to the ticket that will help Kamala move our country forward,” Shapiro said in a statement.

The Pennsylvania governor was in the running for Harris’ vice presidential nomination and was among three candidates personally interviewed by Harris during the week. Walz and Arizona Senator Mark Kelly were the other two.

Harris wanted someone with executive experience who could be a partner in government, and Walz also offered appeals to the broadest part of the diverse coalition.

Shapiro, an ambitious politician in his own right, struggled with the idea of ​​being No. 2 in the White House and said he felt he had more to do in Pennsylvania, according to a person familiar with Harris’ decision. Shapiro has also been publicly criticized for his stance on Israel by Arab-American groups and young voters angry over the administration’s response to the war between Israel and Hamas.

“Following those conversations on Sunday, I had the opportunity to speak directly with the vice president about her vision for the role and the upcoming campaign,” Shapiro said in a statement released Tuesday morning. He then described his role as governor of Pennsylvania and his hopes for the future:

“Pennsylvanians have elected me to a four-year term as governor, and my work here is far from over—there is still much I want to do for the good people of this Commonwealth.

Serving as the 48th Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is the greatest honor of my life – being present in your communities, listening and learning from you, and then working across the aisle to get things done and get results for you. In just 19 months, we’ve made a significant and positive impact on people’s lives, and I’m proud of how Americans across the country have taken notice of what we’re accomplishing here in Pennsylvania. I am glad to continue working to protect and advance true freedom and provide good schools, safe communities, and economic opportunity. “